Unexpected Pleasant Future
by RainingTundraSnow88
Summary: Sequel to 'Reminiscence'. Tom has yet to speak up for himself, and Harry grows tired of waiting for him to. With one proposal to consider already, Harry takes action to mend the broken lines between him and his mate.


**Unexpected Pleasant Future**

It was early evening, almost eight at best, and Tom Riddle was making his way to the informal dining room of his manor for dinner with those who were staying at the home over the Christmas holidays that year while thinking of a distant past he loathed to remember recently. Among the many anticipated guests that were normally there and the very short and secret list that was usually almost always the same as it had been for years…had now come with one major and minor exception for the last two years in a row.

That exception was the presence of Lord Harry James Potter in his home after his defection to the Light side.

Harry James Potter, barely of seventeen in age and the new Lord of Potter Household, had come to Tom's home two years ago at seventeen after his final inheritance and detailed to him that he had been seeking sanctuary from Albus Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix for reasons only Harry knew at that point and did not want to describe in much description due to whatever horror he had endured from it prior to his arrival.

However, what had disturbed Tom the most, was that Harry had shown up at his home seemingly aware of where it was despite the wards surrounding it and Harry himself was bleeding severely from multiple wounds and had many broken bones in numerous places; apparently trying to escape from someone or something at the time. There were many cuts, lacerations, puncture wounds and all sorts of other wounds that Tom knew Harry couldn't have gotten on his own without someone else putting them there and the fights he endured showed his veteran skills on the field at his age. Plus, these fights he battled also showed his determination and willpower to survive his ordeal in order to come to him.

Tom was generally and certainly never one to take pity on someone and he was well aware that Harry had been put through elite Auror training already. Tom knew this could be a plot against him and his war efforts, but with Harry as a wizard himself; there had always been a soft spot within Tom somewhere and right now due to the severity of some of the wounds he could see...it was quite unlikely Harry was sent here as a spy to his faction. Harry was much like himself, Tom knew for a fact; the Potter heir admittedly had grown up in a similar living situation as Tom had due to his hand in Harry's parents deaths', but other than that there were numerable other reasons for similarity as well.

Harry was supposedly the child of a Seer's Prophecy and the only one capable of defeating him. Yet, he was undeniably very smart though many saw his cleverness and cunning as a way for him to make trouble or gain more notoriety with their community when he hadn't been trying to or didn't even want it in the first place. Harry was also powerful as young lord wizard and until his sixth year; he hadn't been aware of just exactly how powerful he truly was. During the summer before his sixth year, Harry's inheritance came with a whirlwind of trying emotions he'd heard from Lucius Malfoy through his son, Draco.

First, Harry had found out that he turned into a creature that was associated with the darker cultures of magic; a Vanteera and a very powerful one at this.

After the realization finally sunk in to the young teen; he went to Gringotts bank to find out exactly what was going on since he knew his parents had been light wizards for the most part. Gringotts more or less told him that the inheritance was through the Potter line vaguely, but that it was more through his ancestors to the heralded Peverell lineage that were acquainted with James's Potter blood itself. Harry had at first been shocked, but then asked them if they could go over his family history with him in depth.

Gringotts obliged the young heir and set out to straighten the skewed lines and misconceptions he had of his family history. The whole set of revelations that the Potter family solicitor gave Harry made his mind blocks shatter and his awareness to surroundings solidify firmly to the fact that he had to be wary for the next two years at school and try to find out just what the hell Albus wanted from him and why?

Tom still became angry when he thought of why Albus wanted Harry in his faction because of what he was. It was a scandal and technically; it was flat-out illegal to do what Albus had wanted him to do. Not to mention it was darker than Tom thought the old man was willing to allow his tool to go.

Harry, by the time he had graduated; he had learned the hard way that he was no more than a weapon and a damned tool to be used to defeat Tom Riddle. Then he was to be tossed aside like a rag doll when he had done his job as if he were now useless to do anything good for society. However, most things remained relatively the same after his graduation, and unlike the chaos of his media-oriented life; Harry knew he couldn't escape their domain soon enough as he had planned to.

From what Tom knew…Alastor Moody and a Russian Auror friend of his had collected Harry from Privet Drive early that summer and dragged him into elite Auror training against Harry's wishes only to discover what they wanted to turn him into because of his heritage. Harry had confided some of the experiences he endured with him during this time period of his life; and to be frank, sometimes Tom thought Harry had to have had a will and determination of pure steel to still be sane after what he said he'd either seen or been forced to learn and do with the knowledge he had gained.

In every respect; Albus Dumbledore, Alastor Moody, and Mira Ross had been elite training him to essentially be the perfect light side soldier and a human killing machine to anyone who dared to oppose their ideals with the inklings of darkness to it. Tom shuddered to think what might have happened to his faction and his war effort had he not saved Harry that day nearly two years ago now.

As he reached the dining area and stepped inside silently, he noticed Harry had looked up to his gaze and gave a slightly nervous and hesitant smile to him. Tom was curious about it, but nodded politely and then came to his place to sit. He also noticed that the young Draco Malfoy was watching Harry's actions most intently with a certain gleam to the mercury orbs that Tom certainly did not like at all.

Tom grit his teeth while his face remained impassive to his emotions while he tried to control the jealousy and the small amount of anger he felt towards the Malfoy heir currently. Yes, oh yes, Tom was definitely jealous of Draco when it concerned Harry as of late.

After Harry had been on his side for some time, but he was not actually partaking in their activities for the first several months because he had been recuperating from his ordeal; Tom seemed to sense that Harry was lonely. The elder lord should have known that letting Draco get close to Harry was a bad idea for to start with; generally because the Malfoy marriages are always arranged and are never not out of love for their partner. This reasoning should have been enough alone to stop the decision he made prior to now, plus the fact Malfoy men had class and sophistication yes, but they were no better than a whore when it came relationships which wasn't what Harry needed at all or probably even wanted in his marriage if he ever married. He needed someone to be his friend and a person whom he could trust and could confide in.

Draco, from Tom's remembrance to the scene, had almost too eagerly accepted his role in befriending the depressed young man in Harry then. Now Tom regretted even giving him the task. Harry was a Vanteera by heritage and he may or may not have a mate that was destined to him; Tom hadn't a clue since Harry had never said anything relating to the topic before now.

If Harry truly had no destined mate; Tom feared he may have already lost his chance at happiness because Harry and Draco were quite close and if Draco's gleam was anything to go by…Tom just suddenly lost his appetite and closed his eyes to hold down a bout of unrestrained jealousy he knew was coming. The elder wizard just missed the concerned look Harry gave Tom before he returned to his meal.

Tom sat there with his eyes closed; steadying his erratic breathing and trying to calm his boiling pulse before he blew his top over the moon. It had been two years, and Harry was now 19 and of course of legal approachable age to anyone that wanted to try to gain his favor. Tom admittedly had avoided Harry like the plague the first two weeks after he arrived; he had been waiting for a fight or another outburst that would never come.

On the third week the Potter heir had been in his home, Harry came to him and asked if he could talk. Tom obliged to this request, although grudgingly he remembered with remorse. The conversation had been very tense and a roller coaster of emotions for Harry, but in the end of the things, both Tom and Harry had come somewhat to an understanding to each other and this understanding had bridged a gap between them and then later turned into a deep friendship for both. This friendship was like a life-line for Tom and Harry together.

Harry had changed over the course of two years slightly and he had not missed the many eyes of the eligible men and women alike in his ranks, including Tom himself. He was very handsome indeed as he was no longer that awkward and scrawny teen with knob-like knees anymore. He couldn't have been with Elite Auror training, and Tom had started to notice him after the bond of a true close friendship had been forged with him.

Tom knew he probably loved the man Harry was now more than he might ever be able to express to him. If Harry and Draco were together officially now…his heart constricted painfully just at the thought. Tom knew already that Draco would not be faithful to Harry unless Draco truly felt he loved him. That in itself was quite doubtful considering the Malfoy clan history and personal motives behind marriages and bondings. The thought angered Tom that Draco would use Harry in such a way when Harry considered the blonde a close friend already. The betrayal he would feel because of this would hurt deeply.

Finally, Tom couldn't take his thoughts anymore in such a public setting. He had abruptly stood and seemed to have fled the dinner table with no excuses and without a word to anyone else as curious and confused gazes watched him leave. Tom saw Harry's confused demeanor and then Draco's triumphant small smirk; which only served to anger Tom more than he already was and then make his chest constrict both with pain and dread furthermore about what was going to happen tonight later on.

* * *

><p>It was around midnight now, and Tom was sulking in his room knowing today was his birthday. However, yet again and because he hadn't had the guts to ask Harry to be his, and also because it seemed to him that Draco had already grabbed that spot in Harry's life; he was feeling miserable. Tom's heart was broken into many shattered glass pieces and in pain because Harry was the only being he had ever wanted to truly stand beside him as an equal. He was the only person who truly knew him for who he was.<p>

Harry was technically the only man he had ever truly and genuinely loved in his entire life and there was no others like him.

Sure Tom had known that he was gay long before now, and sure he'd had plenty of one-sided relationships or even one night flings before now. The facts remained that he had genuinely come to care and love Harry so freely of his own accord that it hurt to know that he most likely had lost him to Draco Malfoy of all people. Due to his own stupidity, which was worse in his mind.

_Knock, Knock_…was hesitantly heard

Tom looked at the door with a minor glare at who might just disturb him so late, but he then sensed Harry's signature and it seemed Harry had come alone and was really nervous about something or the other. Tom easily let him in with a small smile to him. Though he truly wondered what this was about and where Draco was if it had to do with him as well.

"It is a little late for a chat, isn't it Harry?" He asked him softly.

The Potter and Peverell heir just shifted uncomfortably without a word.

"I-I wasn't disturbing you was I? This is rather important…but if you…never mind—I'll just go now and let you rest." Harry said and made for the door quietly.

Tom quickly grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving because of his joke.

"Harry, I was joking before and no you weren't disturbing me at all. I can tell something is bothering you, so would you like to tell me whatever is important that is on your mind?" Tom asked him gently with concern lighting his crimson gaze easily now for Harry to see.

Harry was hesitant to agree, but turned around and came to sit with Tom across from him. A nervous posture and a very anxious and anticipatory demeanor was about his body that Tom felt should not have been there ever.

"Tom…" Harry sighed, "It has been two years since I came here and defected to you when originally I sought sanctuary to prevent me from being turned to a killing machine for Albus and his Order. You know already that I am a submissive Vanteera due to my direct but very ancient connection to the Peverell blood from my father James's side of the family."

Tom nodded silently; not knowing what to do or to say to Harry currently.

"You tasked Draco to befriending me when I felt alone here. While in some ways I am blessed and grateful you did, there are times I wished you hadn't just because of things to do with his family's history that I don't like and probably never shall."

"You know that Vanteera have life-mates, and you and I both know that I never talked about having one to anybody. I'm suddenly very afraid I may be in danger here because of that and I may have made a huge mistake." Harry gazed with his vibrant emerald orbs to Tom's searching scarlet ruby ones.

"Draco and I, well we are quite close as I am sure you are aware, but Draco seems to think he is my mate because we mesh so well together on many areas of interest and that I belong to him. Whereas I know for a fact that he isn't my life-mate nor will he ever be. At first, I thought he was just fooling around about it in the beginning...but when certain things happened later; I sensed the spike in his possessiveness and jealousy over me and now he is almost to the point where he will kill anyone who he thinks might try and take his future spouse from him when I really, totally, and honestly do not belong heart and soul to him." Harry rubbed his face in despair.

Tom's facial expression remained as if he were merely listening to him and trying to help him; but inside Tom was leaping around and jumping for joy that Draco and Harry were never together nor were they mates. However, Tom's mind was now furiously trying to wonder if Harry was vaguely trying to allude something to him too about who his mate actually was.

Harry sighed, "I don't know what to do with Draco? On one hand it might be wiser just to go ahead and outright kill him for mine and my mate's safety in the future and also for mercy's sake, but the more forgiving part of me wants me to just send him to Mungo's psyche ward for therapy. We know Draco would never stand for that either though and would probably escape if we just left him there." Harry said sullenly.

"I do care and love Draco, but not in the way he has ever wanted me to, nor will I ever, and it would hurt me to have to personally know that I'd have to kill him for something like this. Honestly, I do not want to if I wasn't so sure he's out of his mind…" Harry said, "I know he's loony now though, since last week he actually proposed a true pureblood marriage proposal to me…" Harry mind wandered off vaguely

Tom was stricken with fear now and very afraid; what was Harry going to do about this?

"I have yet to either agreed or disagree to it; I just told him I needed time to think more about it and to make sure this was what I wanted. I knew it wasn't because he was not my real mate and I am afraid that I may be subjected to innumerable things after the marriage with him that I don't need or want. Then again…since my true mate seems not to know who they are to me or that I wanted them to speak up about this long before now...I had to have another option I suppose? But if they never truly get a clue…Am, am I supposed to wait decades for them to realize they may have lost me to ignorance?" He asked sadly.

Tom's heart truly ached with hurt for the man he loved and to see him so broken over this. Tom now also worried for Harry's safety as Draco's spouse if it came to this in the end of things because his mate never spoke up to him.

"Harry, does your real mate know you at all or do they more seem to be rejecting you?" Tom asked softly.

Harry flinched some; he hadn't wanted to go into this topic at all.

"He knows me very well. It seems to be rejection to me, but I do not think it is on purpose either. Something to do with my bond connection to him is skewed of late and it is rather foggy. I cannot connect to him fully, and I am at a loss as to what to do." He sighed.

Tom now felt strangely odd that something was up, since he had noticed Harry's bond to him had felt oddly like that. It had been that way for about a year and a half now as he recalled.

"How long has your connection to your true mate been this way, Harry?" Tom asked carefully.

"I would estimate it around a year and at least six months, why?" Harry said curiously now

Tom was starting to feel giddy and elated but held it for now.

"Harry…" Tom sighed, "Is-is your real mate here and a part of our faction...or will you and I have to go mate searching for a few months at a time?"

Harry was now confused, "They are here, why?"

Tom raised an eyebrow to him now in question, "If they have been here for the last year and a half, then why haven't you approached them with this yet?"

Harry wanted to run now but he stood his ground almost frozen in place.

"Because it is not the nature of a submissive to approach their dominant partner, Tom. The bond also feels like it is disappearing, and I can't get a firm grasp to his signature to really know for sure that he is my mate or not. I'm- I am afraid that he won't want me if he is truly my mate." Harry whispered quietly.

Tom was standing there expressionless and in a deep shock that wracked the inside of his body. He felt the sensation of dread wash over him now. Fear of what was going on with their bond, and if perhaps he was truly Harry's mate and he hadn't realized it sooner than now and had caused this situation in itself?

"Harry, I do not mean to invade your privacy or personal feelings; but I have to try something with you and you may or may not like it. If you don't like what I am going to do, please just react by any means." Tom said gently to him.

Harry turned to face him with very wary and suspicious verdant emerald colored eyes that were trying to figure out what he had meant by that. Tom carefully stepped over in front of Harry with his body close to the vanteera's and Harry cautiously gazed at Tom before the next thing he knew was pure bliss. When Tom's lips touched his own, he melted to the most satisfying kiss ever.

As soon as it started, both Harry and Tom's bond re-connected fully and they could feel each other the way they used to almost two years prior to now, but without the horrible pain they had been enduring more recently. Tom knew immediately that this meant he was to belong to Harry and Harry to him forever. Both men never wanted the moment to end, but it had to because of the inevitable planning that needed to be done and some more discussion.

Harry's body wanted Tom's own, and his inner creature screamed at him to make his dominant partner mate with him so they could be together forever. Tom and Harry separated themselves for a moment, and Harry turned his head away not wanting to see the rejection in Tom's eyes when he realized Harry had been afraid to tell him that he was his mate and on top of that; he had actually allowed Draco to court him until it had come to this big plot against him.

"Harry?" Tom asked hesitantly

Harry motioned that he heard and was listening.

"I am not angry at you for this nor the situation we are in…I will not reject you for this either. It is partially my fault Draco is acting the way he is over you because of me setting him out to befriend you. I already knew what might and could happen, and I have been a fool to disregard certain things in past before now." Tom sighed, "I have liked you for a good while and by now I know that I love you enough to fix this so we can be together the way we are supposed to, but I also know I have a lot of penance I need to do to make up for our lost time as well."

" I wanted so badly to admit to you that I wanted you as my own, but I was afraid of rejection myself and then whenever I had seen you and Draco together the past few months; I'll admit readily that I was internally angry at myself for not being able to speak up before and that I was jealous of his closeness to what was my heart and soul. I was also afraid to intrude on your closeness to him and then to be turned away again; I think that was what always held me back. To being rejected again, because I knew my heart could not have withstood the occurrence after it."

"We will have to work together to fix this massive dilemma, but now that I know you are mine; I won't let you go back to Draco and whatever he had enforced onto you to make you start to doubt yourself about us. It'll be hard, but I am positive we can make things right if you just let us try to?" Tom asked gently with a minor plead in his tone.

Harry kept his back to Tom for a few moments before he turned so suddenly and flew into his arms with a hug and tears that were welled up and just bursting out from him in happiness that Tom wanted him still. Tom sat there long into the night, just holding his Vanteera and comforting him while knowing his birthday wish had been granted to him somehow and in some way.

Tom smiled until Harry had calmed down and fell asleep in his arms.

His birthday hadn't been so lonely as he thought it was going to be…


End file.
